STRIP SCRIBBLES
*It’s a very special day on Andre Agassi’s diary.
This afternoon at 3 p.m. at his College Preparatory Academy that benefits at-risk youth in Southern Nevada, he will unveil a new limited edition Longines watch. It’s a very special Grand Vitesse timepiece, in fact just 888 of them have been hand-crafted to commemorate his eight Grand Slam wins as the world’s best tennis player. Our hometown hero will give a tour of his school and then Longines, founded in 1832, will host an incredibly unique auction. Retailers from across the valley and the country will get to bid on the watches to re-sell to their customers with ALL the money going to Andre’s charitable foundation! Now that is one very beautiful gesture!
*I got to chat yesterday to superstar hip-hop artist Nelly, who told me he’s coming to Vegas for a weekend long party at the Red Rock resort on June 6.
He’ll be entertaining over 100 contest winners and fans with bowling in the Red Rock Lanes and give them all an intimate live performance inside the Rocks Lounge and an after party at the Cherry nightclub. Its all a unique promotion for his first full album of new songs in four-years: Brass Knuckles, which he’s been working on with Usher, Babyface, Ashanti, Snoop Dogg and other top chart artists including Jermaine Dupri who will be guest DJ for Nelly’s weekend here. Longtime sports pal Alan Iverson will celebrate his birthday with Nelly during the weekend. Next week Luxe Life will run our full interview with the three-time Grammy and six-time Billboard winner who has sold over 40 million albums worldwide.
*In the world of stage magic there are top hats and rabbits. There are also boxes that always seem to miraculously vanish the shapely magician’s assistant. Now a new movie Women in Boxes is about to focus on the women behind the men and we’ll learn they are far more than “eye candy.”
In fact they are responsible for the execution of many tricks and illusions often risking life and limb as she is sawed in half, poked, prodded, stabbed, contoured or set on fire. There are cameo appearances by our Strip headliners Criss Angel, Lance Burton and Teller of Penn & Teller. It will get its debut screening here on Thursday, June 19 during the 10th annual CineVegas. Its my first special must-view film of the festival.
* UFC ring girls are becoming starlets in their own right! Time to meet Arianny Celeste who got to host her own party at the new Torrid nightclub in the Hawaiian Tropic Zone at Planet Hollywood Resort’s Miracle Mile.
Two UFC fighters, Rameau “The African Assassin” Sokoudjou and Dan Henderson turned up to cheer her onto stardom! MySpace vixen ForBiddeN who’s real name is Christine Dolce was at Torrid the previous night hosting her own bash.
*From the Surveillance File: Ugly Betty regular Gabrielle Union dined at hot-spot Fix Restaurant & Bar in the Bellagio with professional football star Jevon Walker.
They ordered up BLT Wedge and Roasted Chicken with Smoked Mashed Potatoes. … Actor and WWE superstar Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson watched a LA Lakers basketball game while dining at Hawaiian Tropic Zone inside Planet Hollywood Resort’s Miracle Mile Shops and next night for the second time returned to the casino’s Strip House steak restaurant. … UFC hero Chuck “Iceman” Liddell, was in a 20-person group at N9ne Steakhouse in the Palms sharing oysters on the half shell, Kobe carpaccio, and the signature Rock Shrimp appetizer. Then he ordered his own entrée of 12 ounce filet mignon prepared rare paired with a glass of Cabernet and a side of potato gnocchi with Snicker ice cream cake for dessert. … Who would ever have guessed that comedian and host of Chelsea Lately on E!, Chelsea Handler has one heckuva appetite? She also had dinner at N9ne Steakhouse with a group of nine friends wearing a cleavage baring cute low cut, loose fitting red dress and sipped Grey Goose on the Rocks. Chelsea shared executive chef Barry Dakake’s chilled shellfish platter with her friends, along with the fried calamari, seared rare big tuna, and the signature Rock Shrimp. She also split the “Best of N9ne” with three of the group, which included New York sirloin, Colorado lamb chops, Truffle chicken, Maine lobster, Alaskan King crab, Gulf shrimp, and potato gnocchi. There was absolutely no room for dessert after all that. … Rio headliner and Dancing with the Stars contestant Penn Jillette took wife Emily Zolten for organic green salad, rock shrimp tempura and a variety of specialty sushi rolls at the luxurious Social House restaurant in TI.
*Last week we told you about the new summer-display of horticultural wonders at the Bellagio botanical garden and the photos prove it is an incredible achievement by the gardeners there.
The Bellagio’s botanical garden has gone summer and as of today features a 24-feet-long, 7-feet-tall green-leaved locomotive covered in more than 36,000 living flowers and plants. Smaller model trains will wind their way through scenic snapshots of American landscapes from the bountiful plains of the Midwest to the quaint charm of New England. Look for the eaglets peering down from the peaks of a towering mountain and the poppa bear and his cub on a fishing adventure. Ten American flags top the extraordinary display along with miniature hot-air balloons! It will remain on display until Sept. 7.
*Starting today (THURS) our sister publication Las Vegas Weekly launches its brand new Web site and you’ll now also find Luxe Life there, front and center every day, so look for us in both lasvegasweekly.com and lasvegasmagazine.com. Luxe Life is now read in the valley and outside it—worldwide!